Fantastic Four 191
“Four No More!”
Published November 1977
Writer: Len Wein
Pencils: George Perez
Inks: Joe Sinnott
Letters: John Costanza
Colors Glynis Wein
Editor: Len Wein
Cover: Perez and Sinnott

Synopsis

The Fantastic Four are breaking up after a de-powered Mr. Fantastic decides to disband the team. After they say their good-byes and depart, Reed stays behind to oversee his equipment being boxed up to be shipped to SHIELD. But it’s soon revealed that the movers aren’t SHIELD agents but henchmen of the Plunderer, who is attempting to steal he equipment. Reed summons the rest of the FF and after a quick fight defeat the Plunderer and his men, only to break up once again.

What’s going on here?

This is a very satisfying issue, a sturdy one-and-done comic that nonetheless advances the bigger narrative of the breakup of the Fantastic Four. A lot of credit goes to Len Wein, who has a real handle on the family dynamics and personalities of the team. He’s particularly deft at writing Ben as more than a wisenheimer or sad sack, but as a stand-up guy (a mensch, even) and big brother to Johnny. Wein’s writing does get overly maudlin about the team’s dissolution, since everyone except the team members know they will get back together, but it gives him opportunity for more character development. Sadly, this is his last issue as full writer, as he goes on to be credited as just the plotter before dropping off the book for good after issue 194 (and leaving Marvel for DC).

The Perez / Sinnott team do another solid job, especially with the cover, which is one of the best and most creative we’ve seen of this era. (Issue 187, with the team framed by the Molecule Man’s legs, is also excellent but most of the rest during this period are mostly just fight scenes, even if drawn by Jack Kirby). Perez also gets to stretch his machinery-drawing abilities here.

What I liked

The reveal of the villain was well crafted. I confess I wasn’t familiar with The Plunderer, who, as Parnival Plunder, is the villainous brother of Kevin Plunder, a.k.a. Ka-Zar. He featured in a lot of Ka-Zar stories throughout the seventies, and would have been familiar to many readers. Using “Agent Parnival” as his assumed name is a clever hint some readers certainly would have picked up on. The Plunderer is just the right sort of villain for this kind of story; sinister enough to cause some trouble but not big enough of a threat to be a real menace and therefore take the focus off the main narrative of the team breaking up.

As discussed, the reaction to the team’s breakup could get a bit sappy, but I liked this sequence:

And this was genuinely moving, where Ben thinks they are getting back together only for Reed and Sue to let him down:

The action sequences were fun, too. Even without his powers, Reed holds his own against Plunder’s stooges:

And Johnny demonstrates his growing maturity as a teammate and tactician:

Lastly, I liked this cutaway to a scheming Thundra. Thundra’s crush on Ben is an underrated subplot.

What I didn’t like

This was too lachrymose for my tastes. Sometimes less is more.

For some reason Perez drew the walls of the Baxter Building like they’re in a crumbling tenement. I’m pretty sure the skyscraper is not made of brick. And as longtime readers of this blog know, I have little patience in the landlord hijinks.

And somehow the FF went from renting the top floors to owning them. Never count on comic books when it comes to New York real estate.

Overall

An excellent comic book